222 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



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By boiling camphoric with sulphuric or hydrochloric acid and 

 alcohol, a bitter substance of the consistence of syrup is obtained, 

 which is insoluble in water, but dissolves in alkalis, from which it is 

 precipitated by acids ; it is also soluble in alcohol. This substance, 

 after having remained some days in vacuo, afforded the following 

 composition: C 4S H 20 O 8 , which gives the formula (O H 14 O 6 -f C 8 

 H> O 4- OH), A. 



If camphoric acid be represented by the formula C 20 H 7 3 + OH, 

 the formula A will be equal to two equivalents of camphoric acid, 

 each deprived of an equivalent of water, and replaced by one equivalent 

 of aether and one of water, which is the exact composition of the 

 vinic acids. When this substance, camphovinic acid, is distilled in a 

 glass retort over a lamp, there are produced a butyraceous sub- 

 stance, inflammable carburetted hydrogen gas, and a carbonaceous 

 residue. The butyraceous matter treated with boiling alcohol and 

 the solution gradually cooled, crystals of an extraordinary length 

 are obtained possessing neither taste nor smell. The crystals are 

 perfectly neutral, fusing and volatilizing without undergoing de- 

 composition, and combining, notwithstanding their neutrality, with 

 bases, forming crystallized salts. They possess a great number of 

 characteristics, both physical and chemical, which completely di- 

 stinguish them from camphoric acid. 



The crystals are composed of C 20 H 7 O 3 , and this formula is com- 

 pletely confirmed by the analysis of the compounds of this crystal- 

 line body with the oxides of copper and silver ; so it may be consi- 

 dered as camphoric acid minus an equivalent of water. But these 

 crystals, although not possessing an acid re-action, are nevertheless 

 an acid, forming sether by the combined action of alcohol and a 

 strong [mineral] acid, and producing the same vinic acid which is 

 produced by crystallized camphoric acid ; this also is a proof that 

 crystallized camphoric acid, C 20 H 8 O 4 , contains an equivalent of 

 water, which it parts with when combining with certain bases. What 

 follows confirms this opinion. 



The alcoholic mother liquors from which the anhydrous cam- 

 phoric acid is precipitated, treated with water, afford a dense oily 

 product, which boiled for a few minutes with a little potash 

 becomes very fluid. This has a singular odour, a disagreeable 

 taste, and volatilizes without decomposition. 



The composition of this substance, according to experiments, is 

 C 28 H 12 O, corresponding with camphoric sether C 20 H 7 O 3 + 

 C 8 H b O. In whatever way this sether is obtained, whether by 

 crystallized camphoric acid or by anhydrous acid, it appears that 

 in the process of setherifi cation the common camphoric acid parts 

 with an equivalent of water and becomes anhydrous, consequently 

 the formula is C 20 H 7 3 + OH, and that when it enters into com- 

 bination it loses an equivalent of water, as in the following formulae: 



Common camphoric acid = C-° H 7 3 + H O. 



Anhydrous = O H 7 O 3 . 



Camphovinic acid = C 40 H 14 O + C 8 H*0 + HO. 



Camphoric aether . . .... = C 20 H 7 3 + C 8 H^ O. 



